European Commission outlines progress on the Circular Economy package

10 March, Brussels – At a conference on the Circular Economy, held on 9-10 March in Brussels, the European Commission presented its progress on enacting the Circular Economy Package, announcing that half of the expected measures have already been enacted.

However, work remains to be done, including the establishment of indicators to monitor Europe’s transition to a Circular Economy. First indicators will be taken from existing Eurostat data, including domestic material consumption and resource productivity, trade in secondary materials, environmental tax revenues and waste statistics and indicators.

For funding research in the Circular Economy, the Commission will launch calls for proposals under Horizon 2020, with the topic, ‘Connecting economic and environmental gains – the Circular Economy’, in the Work Programme for 2018-2020. Projects will focus on designing products and processes, servicing, and waste valorisation.